The present invention is directed at an automated negative scanner that sequentially positions photographic negatives within the view of a CCD camera which electronically captures the negative image and digitizes said image without relying on a DX code.
As sensor technology has evolved from analog to digital it enabled imaging technologies to follow suit. Customers today request images as digital files to be displayed, changed and printed from personal computers.
The photo finishing industry has responded to that new technology by offering xe2x80x98photos on floppyxe2x80x99. That is, photographs captured on negatives are subsequently electronically scanned and offered as digital files stored on various media types or through the Internet access on a data base. As volumes have risen for this service, the photo finishing industry required a means of scanning and digitizing negatives rapidly. To fulfill the need a couple of scanning machines have been offered which were able to scan negatives at the rate of one per second.
In a standard photo finishing processing laboratory, individual 35 mm rolls are typically spliced together into a single continuous roll of film. The specific customer information associated with the individual film rolls is imprinted onto the splice in the form of a bar code. These machines accept reels of these spliced negative rolls and sequentially advance the reel to present each frame to a CCD capture camera that electronically records each frame and subsequently digitizes it into a discrete file. Each frame is centered to the camera by means of detection of a notch that has previously been notched into the film at the center of each image. Each splice also has bar coded information of individual customers on it and these machines therefore have a bar-code reader that decodes and sends the information along with the digitized files to the computer for subsequent sorting. In addition, each roll of film in the reel has a DX Code imprinted on it which delineates its film type, ASA speed and manufacturer. These machines therefore also contain a DX Code reader which feeds back this information to the illumination source and camera to optimize the exposure conditions for the CCD capture.
Such scanning machines, however, have a number of shortcomings which reduce the efficiency of the process and increase the number of defects produced. The most troublesome shortcoming of these machines occurs at the point of detection between two different rolls of films. That spot, as noted, is called a splice. The scanning machines are supposed to detect a splice and then read the bar code printed on it that is associated with the following role of film. Frequently these machines falsely detect frame edges as a splice during an operation and assign a default order number to it (since it did not find a bar code associated with the splice). This causes an error reading as soon as it detects the next real splice and the scanning machines then shut down. Previous film rolls must then be manually reworked and re-scanned, causing work delays and lost time. In addition, at times, scanning machines will also miss a splice and thus assign two rolls of film to the same customer. This usually goes undetected until the customer complains.
Yet a third detection problem comes from the DX Code reader. That is, the DX Code reader when unable to read the film type will automatically assign a default setting, thereby rendering the scanned file with poor image quality.
Mechanically, scanning machines have employed a servo motor to provide accurate motion to the negative real. Servo motors, however, need to rely on assuring predictable motion of the film in order to afford the apparatus accurate positioning capability. This necessitates high load contact between two pressure rollers that translate rotational movement into the linear motion of the film. This results in scuffing and scratching of the negatives as they pass through the rollers. This is undesirable because it compromises the images rendering them unsuitable for further duplication. Furthermore, this type of machine does not allow for the digitization of cut negatives. Missed orders sometimes have to be scanned after they have already been cut into strips.
Finally the scanning machines to date have used high intensity incandescent light sources in proximity to the film. The heat generated by these sources tend to buckle and distort the negatives being captured and causes distortion in the digitized image.
It is therefore an object of this invention to present an improved automated negative scanner that solves the above problems of the prior art. More specifically, it is an object of this invention to provided an improved automated negative scanner that sequentially positions photographic negatives in the view of a CCD camera and electronically captures the images and digitizes said images without relying upon the negative DX code.
An automated negative scanner that sequentially positions photographic image-bearing bearing negative film relative to an image gather device which device electronically captures said negative film image and digitizes said image without relying on a DX code. The scanner comprises a feed spool and a take-up spool for said image-bearing negative film, each spool connected to a motor for rotational movement wherein said feed spool and take-up spool are separated by a negative capture area. The feed spool is designed to hold a plurality of negative film rolls spliced together and the negative capture area contains a belt transport to transport the negative film. Two dancer rollers are connected to a tensioned lever arm and each dancer roller is separately associated with said feed spool and said take-up spool wherein said dancer rollers separate said rollers rotational movement from said transport of said film in said negative capture area. The negative capture area also contains a notch detector to center the imaged areas of said negative with respect to said image gathering device along with two splice detectors and a bar code reader to identify and distinguish between said spliced single film rolls on said feed roller.